Jordan R. Dawson, 19, was killed in Chicago on March 25, 2012. His death came during a year when the city saw a sharp rise in murders: Chicago recorded 506 homicides in 2012, and March of that year was particularly deadly with 53 killings compared with 23 in March 2011.

Analysis of 2012 violence cites several contributing factors noted at the time. March 2012 was one of the warmest on record for Chicago, and unusually warm weather that early in the year coincided with the spike in homicides. Changes in policing also figured prominently: the Chicago Police Department disbanded specialized gang units under Superintendent Garry McCarthy, units that had previously focused on crime hotspots and gang-related violence.

Jordan Dawson’s death is part of that larger pattern of violence and the debates over how to combine law enforcement and community efforts to reduce shootings. If anyone knew Jordan or has information about his death, please share what you can.